


cardigans and a happy ending

by LiberAmans214



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Basically everyone's there you know?, Birthday Fluff, Castiel and Dean Winchester in Love, Castiel/Dean Winchester First Kiss, Dean Winchester Is Happy, Dean Winchester is Loved, M/M, Sam Winchester Ships Castiel/Dean Winchester, Winchester Family Fluff (Supernatural)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-25
Updated: 2021-01-25
Packaged: 2021-03-17 11:42:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,144
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28973775
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LiberAmans214/pseuds/LiberAmans214
Summary: Dean Winchester turned forty two today. Featuring realization that he's finallyfree.
Relationships: Castiel/Dean Winchester, Dean and Found Family, minor Eileen Leahy/Sam Winchester - Relationship
Comments: 5
Kudos: 64





	cardigans and a happy ending

**Author's Note:**

> happy birthday, sweetheart <3

"Cas?"

Dean knocks once and opens the door a little, only enough for him to stick his head through. At first sight, Cas is sitting at the edge of the bed, holding his phone. At second, he's smiling.

"Dean," Cas looks up, smile broadening. He's so beautiful. "Would you like to come —"

"Nah," Dean grins back. "Not right now. Heading to bed." He leans his head against the doorframe, and winks. "Kind of a long day."

It was Dean's birthday.

And the rest of the Winchesters had planned the hell out of it.

There'd been Winchester Supreme breakfasts (for everyone, which yes, meant that Sam had had a tiny aneurysm) a midday Scooby Doo marathon (venue: the Deancave) a party in the evening with balloons and actual birthday _pie_ , and karaoke after dinner. Jack had gotten him one of those 3-in-1 boxed board games (Monopoly was the only thing on the cover he recognized), Sam and Eileen, a leather journal because "you can finally start writing your own story, chuck-free," and socks, and Cas had apparently been responsible for the (friggin' _awesome_ ) pie, and had then surprised even the other three with a ridiculously soft _,_ green _cardigan_ during gift giving.

Dean had not just gotten to spend time with all of his family — and he's talking Jody, Donna, the girls, Garth, Charlie, _everyone_ — but actually gotten to see all of them hang out after so long, and be happy, and celebrate, under the same roof — it'd been so perfect, it feels like a dream even in hindsight.

There's really no way to describe it except as one of the best days of his life.

"I believe it was." Cas says, eyes twinkling. His eyes flit back to his phone, and Dean's follow — his breath hitching in his chest when he sees a picture of him in the pink, polka dotted birthday hat. (Garth's idea, though really, _everyone's._ )

Cas had been —

He'd been smiling at _Dean_.

"Yeah." Dean feels a little winded. " _Awesome_ , though."

"Goodnight, Dean." Cas looks up again, wearing the same, happy smile. It does things to Dean, really.

Makes him feel the same kind of way Claire and Donna (and later, upon Claire's insistence and everyone else's cheering, Kaia) partnering up to sing a way too dramatic cover of Jingle Bells at him (in _January)_ did. Or Eileen and Sam Night-Moves-ing him, giggly together on 'stage' in a way they'd definitely deny having been the next morning. It was the kind of feeling you get when you're really happy, and there's (finally, _finally_ ) no reasons not to be.

And all of it, reconjured by a single gummy smile.

It's sometimes kind of staggering how stupidly in love he is.

"'Night, Cas." Dean manages, a floaty feeling in his gut, and he closes the door. He stays right there, though, hands clenched into fists and breathing slow.

His head's a whirlwind of feelings, insides fluttering like they decided to pick up from the example of the butterflies that at this point, he's stopped trying to control around Cas.

It's like somehow, _suddenly_ , he's been cut loose. All these years, all the repression — all the not-yet's, and he- _can't's_ — all of it, it feels like it's fading. Cas makes him happy. Cas smiles at awful pictures of Dean, and then smiles up at the real Dean like he doesn't even have to hide it anymore (then why does Dean?) and bakes him pie, and saves his life, and buys him sweaters that match his eyes and proceeds to point it out — and makes him happier than he's ever been.

Cas is family, and Cas is home. And he's the love of Dean's life, and maybe he doesn't have to keep it in anymore — because he sure as hell _can't_.

Like he's floating on a cloud, and the chains binding him are rendered needless, and fall to the ground, it suddenly hits Dean.

Dean Winchester's _free_.

The enormity of it sinks into him, or tries to, as he absentmindedly licks his lips. Force of habit. There's still the faintest taste of sugar. And _maybe_ he's just really drunk and can't tell, or maybe he's simply high on _happiness_ , but there's really nothing holding him back anymore, is there?

(And it _is_ his birthday, after all.)

Before he can second-guess himself — which usually happens right about _now_ — he barges through the door again.

Cas is standing now, and his eyes widen when Dean scales the distance between them in a couple of fast, desperate steps. Puts a hand on his hip, the other cupping his face.

Tilts it up, and Dean's thumb trembles dangerously close to the corner of Cas's mouth.

_What is he scared of?_

It's _Cas_.

His voice is barely a whisper.

"Can I —"

Cas jerks his head in a stilted nod, and Dean closes the gap between the in a single movement, tilting his head the other way. Their lips meet, Dean's moist and Cas's soft, and Cas leans into it — leans into _Dean,_ and oh, it's _perfect_ — and Dean's other hand leaves Cas's waist to come up until he's holding Cas's face in both his hands, ignoring the tears pricking his eyes, as he squeezes his eyes closed and lets it fall, and kissing Cas harder.

It's years and years of buildup, but everything's worth it for the devastated sound Cas lets out when Dean pulls back, wide-eyed and gasping for breath, and Cas inadvertently chasing his lips even further into his personal space.

_It's always been Cas._

" _Dean_." Cas breathes, chest heaving.

Only now does Dean notice his hands on Dean's waist, when a ghost of a touch sends a shiver up his spine.

He just kissed _Cas_.

"Hey, Cas." Dean bites his bottom lip, voice as shaken as his knees feel. Cas leans up a little, and Dean closes his eyes again when their foreheads touch. He can feel their breaths mingling, but it's the closeness that gets him. "It's my birthday today." He adds, something almost coy in his tone, for the sake of saying something, 'cause how can he not breathlessly ramble the silence away?

(Dean still can't believe he just kissed him, but _hell_ , is he glad he did.)

"I _love_ you." Cas returns.

"I'm pretty sure the saying goes, happy birthday." Dean tells him with a shit-eating grin, hooking his arms around Cas's neck. He's half expecting an eyeroll, more probably that patent reserved-for-Dean frown, but what he gets is another kiss. Less fleeting, less chaste.

Dean all but melts.

_Always and forever_ _,_ _Cas._

"So be it." Cas mutters, looking up at Dean with a smile dancing in his eyes, but lips pursed. And it's about to be midnight again, so it's the last wish of Dean's entire forty second birthday when Cas says it.

"Happy birthday."

(Dean hears it loud and clear.)

_"I love you."_


End file.
